This is a long, ambitious novel, dickensian in its scope, detailing the not only the life of marion stone, but the struggling charity hospital in which he is raised, and the turmoil of ethiopia in the 1960s and 1970s. Time wise, this absorbing novel covers a period of at least 2530 years. Yet cutting for stone is all the better for verghese s encyclopaedic knowledge and affection for its content. Jan 26, 2010 cutting for stone by the astonishingly gifted, deeply compassionate writer abraham verghese will wrap around you from the very first page and will not let you go. Author abraham verghese, md, macp, is the professor for the theory and practice of medicine at stanford university school of medicine. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading cutting for stone. Marion and shiva stone are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful indian nun and a brash british surgeon at a mission hospital in addis ababa. The story in cutting for stone seems to be modeled after at least a few of dr. Marion and shiva stone are twin brothers born of secret union between a beautiful indian nun and a brash british surgeon. Vergheses skill at intertwining so many stories is awesome and prohibits simple description of the novel as a whole. As abraham verghese quotes it, the line from the oath reads i will not cut for stone, even for patients in whom the disease is manifest. Feb 02, 2010 abraham verghese talks about his literary influences and the inspiration for his bestselling novel, cutting for stone. He is also the author of three bestselling books, two memoirs and a novel. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese reading guidebook club.
Something of a bildungsroman, cutting for stone focuses on a pair of twin boys. After eight months spent in the obscurity of our mothers womb, my brother, shiva, and i came into the world in the late afternoon of the twentieth of september in the year of grace 1954. Abraham verghese, md, macp, is professor for the theory and practice of medicine at the stanford university school of medicine and senior associate chair of the department of internal medicine. Jul 15, 2016 cutting for stone abraham verghese vintage canada, 2010 i had put off reading cutting for stone for quite some time, mostly, i think, from a fear that it couldnt live up to its hype. At first, i wasnt sure id like the book, as i expected it to be quite sad. Cutting for stone, by abraham verghese the new york times. The story of cutting for stone is told from marions point of view he and his twin brother, shiva, were born in an ethiopian hospital to a nun one hardly needs to point out that this is problematic, to say the least. Pdf cutting for stone book by abraham verghese free. Marion and shiva stone are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful indian nun and a brash british surgeon.
Each character is so fully developed from start to finish that the reader becomes deeply involved with each and every one. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese everyday reading. Cutting for stone 2009 is a novel written by ethiopianborn indianamerican medical doctor and author abraham verghese. Cutting for stone by robert verghese and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Set mostly in and around addis ababa and new york, the story follows the life of marion praise stone. Verghese is certainly a very gifted writer,i cant wait to recommend this book to everyone i know. Cutting for stone questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on. Cutting for stone throughout the month of march, npr books will be running an online discussion about abraham vergheses novel cutting for. Abraham vergheses first novel, cutting for stone, with its huge cast of characters and exotic localesincluding the bronxhas a richness that recalls conrad or forster.
Naomi shihab nye, author of habibi empathy for our frail human condition resonates throughout abraham vergheses cutting for stone. Abraham vspecial reading from his debut novel, cutting for stone. Abraham verghese inspiration for cutting for stone youtube. Blood is thicker than water, and more copious, in this expansive novel. Dec 26, 2009 abraham verghese story, cutting for stone, takes us to ethiopia during haile selassies rule when poverty foments revolution and betrayal by subjects who want better living and working conditions for its citizens.
Free download or read online cutting for stone pdf epub book. Moving from addis ababa to new york city and back again, cutting for stone is an unforgettable story of love and betrayal, medicine and ordinary miraclesand two brothers whose fates are forever intertwined. Cutting for stone is abraham vergheses big, bloated panorama of 20th century ethiopia, where medicine and religion meet, and surgeons and carmelite nuns procreate. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese a story of ethiopias past halfcentury impresses aida edemariam. Verghese creates this story so lovingly that it is actually possible to live within it for the brief time one spends with this book. In what ways is cutting for stone an oldfashioned story and what does it share with the great novels of the nineteenth century. Hes also senior associate chair of the department of internal medicine. Born of indian parents, verghese grew up in revolutionary ethiopia near addis abba. Cutting for stone the phrase is from the hippocratic oath is about twins born joined at the head, in a mission hospital in addis ababa half a century ago. Jan 26, 2010 cutting for stone a reference to the hippocratic oath, i will not cut for stone, dr. Those words provide an epigraph partway through abraham vergheses first novel, cutting for stone, and also explain the surname of its.
Jan 28, 2011 cutting for stone by abraham verghese. Verghese has written his debut fiction novel, cutting for stone, and in here, he uses one of fictions favorite axioms. Women roles in abraham vergheses cutting for stone by. In what ways is cutting for stone an oldfashioned storyand what does it share with the great novels of the nineteenth century. Thesis it is implied that the only greatness that any of the female characters can achieve is if a man is by their side or by the sexuality of their bodies and fulfilling their destined role of motherhood women roles in abraham verghese s cutting for stone portrayed as. Published in 2009 by vintage, cutting for stone is abraham vergheses debut novel. I just this morning finished listening to sunil malhotras extraordinary reading of cutting for stone recorded books cutting for stone.
Cutting for stone questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on cutting for stone. Abraham verghese born 1955 is an american physician, author, professor for the theory and practice of medicine at stanford university medical school and senior associate chair of the department of internal medicine. The title, cutting for stone, refers to a line in the hippocratic oath, and to the last name of the three main characters, all of them surgeons. It is impossible to fully explore the incredible depth of cutting for stone within a few paragraphs.
The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 541 pages and is available in hardcover format. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese book club discussion. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese a story of ethiopias past. The book includes a deep description of both medical procedures and. Feb 03, 2009 abraham verghese is professor and vice chair for the theory and practice of medicine at the stanford university school of medicine. The story begins with an intense, anatomical description of the birth of marion and shiva, twin boys born to sister mary joseph praise and her lover, a brash english surgeon, dr. Apr 26, 2011 for readers who like the length, depth, and strength of a true saga, cutting for stone by abraham verghese is your story. Abraham verghese has said that his ambition in writing cutting for stone was to tell a great story, an oldfashioned, truthtelling story. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese reading guide. An epic novel which starts out in addis ababa and ends in new york, cutting for stone is one of those books that stays with you long after youre done. In cutting for stone, renowned physician abraham verghese has given us a. The book is a roller coaster ride of agonies and ecstasies that too often relies heavily on coincidence to move the plot along. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese, paperback barnes.
Abraham verghese story, cutting for stone, takes us to ethiopia during haile selassies rule when poverty foments revolution and betrayal by subjects who want better living and working conditions for its citizens. Cutting for stone the phrase is from the hippocratic oath is about twins. Cutting for stone throughout the month of march, npr books will be running an online discussion about abraham vergheses novel cutting for stone. Those words provide an epigraph partway through abraham verghese s first novel, cutting for stone, and also explain the surname of its narrator, marion stone, along with his twin brother, shiva. It is a saga of twin brothers, orphaned by their mothers death at their births and forsaken by their father. About threequarters of the way through, the book moves to the us.
The main characters of this fiction, historical story are thomas stone, sister mary joseph praise. Born of indian parents who were teachers in ethiopia, he grew up near addis ababa and began his medical training there. The book includes a deep description of both medical procedures and explores the human side of medical practices. A sweeping, emotionally riveting first novelan enthralling family saga of africa and america, doctors and patients, exile and home. Cutting for stone kindle edition by verghese, abraham.
Verghese, marion praise stone, the novels protagonist, is. Yet cutting for stone is all the better for vergheses encyclopaedic knowledge and affection for its content. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Reading guide for cutting for stone by abraham verghese. Abraham verghese talks about his literary influences and the inspiration for his bestselling novel, cutting for stone. Buy a cheap copy of cutting for stone book by abraham verghese.
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